Diana gets a hug
by walrus-is-walrus
Summary: The shocking epic that captured the hearts of millions
1. Chapter 1

Diana raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?" From the moment Akko had cornered her in the library, she knew there was going to be trouble. Akko always brought trouble.

Akko rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Ok," she said, "I, well, since coming to Luna Nova I've discovered something about myself. Something important! A deep and personal truth!"

"Oh?"

"I really like hugs!"

"I see."

Diana sighed. Why was she wasting her time on this idiot?

"Yeah." Akko shrugged. "Honest Lotte hugs, aggressive Amanda hugs, even low-key Sucy hugs. They're great. I like hugs. I love them."

Diana narrowed her eyes. "And what does this have to do with me?" She made sure to make the question sound as flippant as possible, but already she had a pretty good idea where this was going.

"I was thinking the other day – I was talking to Amanda, and I got to wondering – when was the last time you've gotten a hug? I know it's not any of my business-"

"It most certainly is not," said Diana.

"-but if I had to guess, it's been a while?"

Diana felt her face grow hot. Who did Akko think she was, to even ask such a question? "And what makes you think that?" she asked as coldly as possible.

"Well, you see-" Akko was fidgeting now, she noticed. Good. If she was was insistent on pursuing this line of questioning, she certainly wasn't going to make it easy for her.

"What is it?" she demanded. "Out with it."

"I'm not sure you have any friends?" Akko phrased it as a question, but Diana knew it wasn't. "Don't get me wrong, you have lots of admirers," Akko was quick to add. "Everybody looks up to you. Because you're so pretty and talented and cool. But I don't think you're close to anybody, not really, not even Hannah and Barbara – I've been in your room, you have an actual physical wall separating yourself from them!"

Diana considered this. It was true. Hannah and Barbara hugged each other often, but never her. At most they clung to her when they were scared, like she was some beacon of safety and stability, not a person. Honestly, it was undignified.

"And, well, I thought, well I thought-" Akko was tripping over her words now, "that a hug would do you some good."

Do her good? Ridiculous. This entire conversation was a waste of her time, Diana thought, her mind racing. She had better things to do. More important things to do. And what if people saw? What would they say? She had a reputation to maintain, an image and a family name to uphold. She couldn't be seen being affectionate with the school moron. A hug was impossible, it was out of the question.

But as soon as she had made up her mind, a new thought came ringing through: Wasn't this exactly her problem? Wasn't she too aloft? Akko made friends so easily, showed her affection so easily. So why was it so difficult for her?

Doubts swirled in her mind, and then a third thought appeared: It was only hug. If nobody saw, what was the harm? It didn't mean anything. Everybody did it, why couldn't she? Why shouldn't she?

Diana took a deep breath to clear her head. "Very well," she said. "One hug."

"Er," Akko said, waffling, "are you sure?"

Diana could tell that Akko never actually expected to get this far.

"Yes." she nodded. "Make it quick."

A huge grin broke out over Akko's face. "Ok! Here I go!"

Diana steeled herself as Akko moved in.

She felt a surge of heat and embarrassment as Akko pressed against her. This was much too close for comfort. Her chest felt tight, like she couldn't breathe. But she fought the urge and panic to pull away, and gradually, bit by bit, her anxiety melted away, and warm easiness took its place.

She relaxed her shoulders and Akko tightened her embrace. Slowly, very slowly, she raised her own arms as well, wrapping them around Akko and bringing her even closer. What was this feeling enveloping her? It was comfortable, it felt right. Did it have a name?

It was a comfort hitherto unknown to her.

"Are you ok?" Akko asked.

"Yes," whispered Diana. Her knees felt weak – no, that was wrong – she felt weak all over. Why? She was tired, Diana realized, very tired. Perhaps she'd been tried for a very long time and had just never noticed it before. But now she did. Her breathing slowed, her heart quieted.

Pressed against her, she could almost feel Akko's heartbeat. Almost.

As if in response to some invisible tell or signal, Akko started running her hand up and down Diana's back in soft, soothing motion. She lowered her head, burying her face in Akko's shoulder.

Quite against her own will, Diana let out a tiny, fragile noise, somewhere between a contented sigh and a moan. Instantly she felt the red heat of embarrassment swell up again, but Akko didn't say anything, or stop, and once again the fire faded into a pleasant warmth.

Yes, she was tired. And now, in the arms of this girl who was nothing but a pain, nothing but a headache – all that stress and pressure, all the expectations people had of her – none of it seemed to matter quite so much. It was all ebbing away. Maybe she could rest here, just for a little while. Diana shifted her weight a little towards Akko. She knew Akko could support her.

Somewhere in the distance, a bell rang out for evening classes. Time started again. Akko let her go, and the two girls broke apart.

"Well?" Akko asked, "how was that?"

Diana tugged at her uniform to straighten it. She adjusted her cuffs then her hair, taking her time with both. She cleared her throat and composed herself, slipping back into her icy, perfect persona. "It was- pleasant," she said, with as much mundanity as she could muster.

"Oh, I see..." said Akko, clearly disappointed in her subdued reaction.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have things I must attend to." Diana turned to leave, but something stopped her. She turned back. "But, I-" she started, "I think I'd like to do this again. If that's acceptable to you?"

Akko smiled. "Yes! Absolutely!" She drummed her fingers against her cheek as she considered her schedule. "Um, how about tomorrow, same time, same place?"

"Yes, that would work," said Diana. "And Akko, you won't tell anybody, will you?"

"Not a chance."


	2. Chapter 2

The restricted section of the library had become her favorite place in all of Luna Nova – not only for its collection of rare and valuable books, but because only one other student had been granted special permission to access the archive.

She wasn't quite sure why Professor Ursula had given Akko a special library pass, but Diana was thankful that she had. The long evenings they spent together – evenings that sometimes drifted into nights – Diana savored them; they brought her comfort.

Diana looked down – Akko's head was resting on her lap. She was dozing, curled up – not quite asleep, but on that delicious cusp of dreaming. Diana reached down and ran a hand through Akko's hair. Akko murmured softly. Something about baloney? Diana couldn't quite make it out. It didn't really matter.

They sat on the floor, far and away in a corner, a small nook between the endless shelves. This was the best spot in all the restricted section, for it was the most private, and the quietest. The dull, steady tick of a clock was the only reminder of the outside world.

With one hand she turned the pages of her book, with the other she played with Akko's hair. Here, time moved slow.

A place where they could be alone. Alone together. Diana considered this. She had always valued her privacy. It was a precious commodity. Being alone had always meant time for private reflection, and serious, hard study. But being by oneself was not so different from being in the company of others. Social expectations, social pressures gave way to private ones, to the high standards she set for herself. It was a different kind of stress. Yet here, now, she felt something else entirely. She felt at ease. Genuinely, honestly at ease.

How strange it was, she thought, that she was more comfortable being with Akko than she was with being alone. Here was a place she could linger.

Akko stirred. "What are you thinking about?" she asked sleepily.

Diana brought a hand to her mouth and stifled a yawn. "Nothing important," she said. "Nothing important at all."

Akko squinted her eyes skeptically. "It didn't look like nothing."

"Oh?"

"Your face was all scrunchy."

Diana laughed. And because she was genuinely, honestly at ease, her laugh too, was honest and genuine. It was a giggle, and it was a surprise to her that she could even make such a noise.

She smiled down at Akko. "How long have we been doing this?" she asked. "Surely less than a month."

"Three weeks. Four, next Wednesday."

"You've been keeping track?"

"Ah, don't look at me like that," said Akko. "I just happen to remember."

Akko yawned, and stretched. "Want to switch?" she asked. "My lap's all ready for you."

Diana looked up at the clock. "No, I have a meeting soon. It's almost six."

"Ack!" Akko jumped to her feet. "I'm late! I'm supposed to meet with Ursula!" she cried, shoving her belongings into her bag.

She rushed out. "I'll see you tomorrow!" She shouted back to Diana as she ran.

Diana got up. It was about time for her to get going as well. She started packing up her things, slowly, for she was in no rush. She had often thought that some things were best done slowly: Making tea, practicing piano, playing chess; if one hurried, mistakes could creep in.

And now hugs. And Akko. These were two more things Diana thought best to take slowly.

Her and Akko. Akko and her. Diana knew that someday, perhaps someday soon – one of them, she wasn't sure which, would do something, or saying something that couldn't be ignored or rationalized away, and they would be forced to define this thing they were doing. They would be forced to define what they were to each other.

But that was at some unknown point in the future, not the present. There was no need to rush, she didn't want to make a mistake. And whatever this was, it was enough for now.

She was just about ready to go when Akko came running back in.

"Wait!" Akko cried, rushing up behind her, "Hold on! Almost forgot today's hug!"

Before Diana could turn around, Akko had grabbed her by the waist. She squeezed her from behind, almost lifting her off of her feet in a massive bear hug. She rubbed her nose against the nape of Diana's neck, and held her tightly.

For a moment their legs were intertwined.

Diana blushed, and was thankful Akko couldn't see her face. "I thought you were in a hurry?"

"I am," said Akko.

She didn't let go.


End file.
